Just down the beach from the Pueblo Bonito is a hut where various kinds of tours are offered. We signed up for the Lands End boat tour, which included a stop at Lovers Beach for snorkeling.
The boat pulled up in front of the hut and loaded us up. We were off to see Lands End, the tip of the Baja Peninsula sporting the arch we had seen many times from the beach. Before stopping to go snorkeling, they take the boat along the entire peninsula so you get an up close view of the arch, caves, and seals that beach themselves on top of rocks protruding from the water during the change in tides. As we round the corner at the tip of Lands End, you leave the Sea of Cortez and move into the Pacific Ocean where the water gets even more rough.
After viewing the sites, the boat brings you back around to the Sea of Cortez side and stops in front of Lovers Beach where the snorkeling takes place. To get to the beach, you have to jump off the boat into waste deep water trying to keep your personal items above your head so as not to get them wet. This is a difficult task because the waves are fairly strong, beating against you and the boat.
After making it to shore, everyone stakes out a piece of beach property shaded from the sun to lay their towels and bags. Make sure to have water shoes with you. Not sure what it is about the sand here, but it is extremely hot to walk on. Our shoes were packed in our towel bag and we tried to walk across the beach to see the Pacific Ocean side in our bare feet, ran out of shaded sand, and had to quickly run back because our feet were burning!
After you get situated, the tour guide gives everyone their snorkeling equipment which includes a mask, snorkel, and fins and tells you they will be back in so many hours, have fun, and they take off.
Lovers Beach is considered a safe swim beach, but I beg to differ! Some of us had to give up the idea of snorkeling as the waves came in and one would hit you on the top of your body, while the current pulled out tugging at the lower part of your body, sending us into a spin under water. After getting pulled under and flipped around not knowing which was was up, I decided it was time to take off the snorkeling gear and play around in the water near the shore. For the stronger swimmers, they were able to get past the dangerous area and get out into calmer, deeper waters and take underwater pictures of passing fish.
All in all, it was a good time and a great site to see. While the snorkeling was a bit difficult, the boat ride and time at the beach was enjoyable.